
Tina Fey, beloved for her time on Saturday Night Live (SNL), opened up about her experience working on the sketch comedy show in the docuseries SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night. The four-episode series, streaming on Peacock, features Fey reflecting on her time as head writer at SNL, where she revealed the competitive nature of the show. She explained that the environment at SNL was driven by intense competition, with everyone aiming for the same goal, but also pushing each other in a “See you at the table” way.
Fey, who joined SNL in 2000 and left the cast in 2006, recalled the difficult and sometimes tough atmosphere of the writers’ room. She shared that, as a newcomer from Chicago, she was ready to face challenges, but the atmosphere at the rewrite tables was particularly harsh and filled with criticism. She humorously noted that when writers were done with a sketch, they would often tear it apart, even after working on it intensely. Despite this challenging environment, Fey admitted that this dynamic was a big part of SNL’s success.
Now, looking back, Fey is unsure if that same competitive culture still exists on the show today, but she hinted that it could be beneficial for SNL to return to that raw, critical energy. This candid reflection on her SNL journey offers fans a deeper look into the pressures and creativity behind the iconic show.